Favorable conditions never come.

From Learning in War-Time by C.S. Lewis.  A sermon preached in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin,

Oxford, Autumn, 1939.  

 There are always plenty of rivals to our work. We are always falling in love or quarreling, looking for jobs or fearing to lose them, getting ill and recovering, following public affairs. If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work. The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavorable.  Favorable conditions never come.

History

Carrots were originally purple, white, yellow, and red.

The orange carrots we know today became popular after Dutch farmers selectively bred them in the 16th–17th centuries. pic.twitter.com/dww5mtlFk2

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 12, 2026

 

An Insight

The overthrow of the Czar in Russia was motivated by two factors: inflation and the war. The initial desire on the part of reformers was to stop both and establish a republican form of government. The transition government led by Alexander Kerensky failed to achieve the goal,… pic.twitter.com/mn2HkYKUWW

— Jeffrey A Tucker (@jeffreytucker) July 11, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

There’s an episode from Cheers where Frasier and another guy are quoting from Richard II and Cyrano de Bergerac.

34 million Americans watched this episode. https://t.co/VZasvH2fBa pic.twitter.com/93AACnkMt5

— 🏛 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 🏛 (@nonregemesse) July 12, 2026

 

Offbeat Humor

Welcome to the jungle..🐕🐾😅

📹2huskyteers pic.twitter.com/eruuZtzVfV

— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) July 12, 2026

 

Data Talks

The US is the largest country in the world that speaks one language, has many power poles/major cities, and you are allowed to just get up and move to any of them without bureaucracy. https://t.co/ORo7rIaJb6 pic.twitter.com/Jt8LIo9quM

— Sven Etienne (@Sven_Etienne) July 11, 2026

 

Brooklyn Bridge by Herbert Weintraub

Brooklyn Bridge by Herbert Weintraub (America, 1934-2019) 

Click to enlarge.

An Insight

I'm not going to pay for a subscription to a propagandistic rag like "The Atlantic," but this X post's phrasing is illuminating.

Unless a civilian leader is giving an illegal order, a senior general's or admiral's "obedience to civilian leaders" and "duty to the Constitution"… https://t.co/UEcz7UbPlr

— Cynical Publius (@CynicalPublius) July 11, 2026

 

History

This 1937 Austrian leaflet depicts a Nazi, a Communist, and a social democrat. It reads, "And when they found each other, they understood each other immediately."

Amazing how the more things change, the more they remain the same. pic.twitter.com/kZULa4z4QX

— Uri Kurlianchik (@VerminusM) July 16, 2026

 

I see wonderful things

This was a profoundly necessary, cathartic moment, giving voice to the righteous fury and disgust of millions. It marked a striking departure from his typically charming, winsome, humorous, bipartisanship-minded demeanor. Arguably his finest hour. Thank you, Senator. RIP. https://t.co/lXJd4jdD4g

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) July 12, 2026